NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations relies on staff who support the work that is carried out on our research ships and aircraft. Whether overseeing budgets, ensuring people get to locations they need to be in, keeping our technology working, or connecting with those we serve, everyone is an integral part of the team. Meet Alexis Gutierrez, D.Phil, our Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Lead.
What is your role at NOAA and what do you do?
As the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Branch team lead for NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations, I work with a team of officers and civilians who support the NOAA Corps admirals. On a typical day we will be working with NOAA Legislative Affairs to answer questions from Congress, writing speeches, setting up hill briefings and facilitating stakeholder meetings.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia.
Where did you get your training and experience before joining NOAA?
As a native Washingtonian, I started interning with the federal government when I was 15 years old. My first federal government experience was with the International Affairs group in the U.S. Department of Treasury. In college I went on to work at the U.S. Department of Interior on invasive species and then during my Master’s degree I worked at the Smithsonian Natural History museum. I joined NOAA Fisheries in 2004 as a Foreign Affairs Specialist right after I finished my Master’s degree in International Relations.
What inspired you to work for NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations?
My journey to NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations has been a winding one, like life often is. Once at NOAA, I continued to keep growing by moving into domestic and international conservation issues at NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources, where I worked on sea turtle conservation for over a decade. During that time, I was also fortunate to be accepted to the NOAA Fisheries Advanced Species program and got my doctorate at the University of Oxford in England.
After I had my kids, I transitioned into legislative affairs to reduce my travel away from home. During my time in NOAA Legislative Affairs, I had the opportunity to work on the Senate Commerce Committee, which has oversight on how NOAA implements laws, for nearly two years. During this exciting time, we worked on two Maritime Administration bills, a U.S. Coast Guard bill, Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and Ocean Shipping Reform Act. While I had thought I would spend my time on Capitol Hill working on fisheries issues, I spent most of it working on maritime issues and so moving to this office was a natural transition at the end.
What was one of your favorite missions or experiences?
It is really hard to pick one experience at NOAA that has been my favorite, as over 20 years I have been fortunate to have several. I think one of the most memorable experiences was going to the Galapagos for the Conference of Parties of the Inter-American Sea Turtle Convention and seeing blue footed boobies.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to work for NOAA?
Be open to all opportunities. Lots of time we think we need to find the perfect job. There are many instances where I have been given opportunities that I wasn’t excited about but I learned so much from doing them.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
As a Mexican American, my identity has not always been an easy thing to grapple with. My family dates back in Texas to when it was part of Mexico. My grandfather wanted my father and his siblings to assimilate as much as possible given the times they were living in, which meant a lot of our culture was lost. I’m so fortunate now to live in a time and place when different identities and cultures are valued. Today, it is cool to be bilingual as opposed to my dad’s generation. Hispanic Heritage Month is a valuing of communities who have been a part of the Americas for centuries and their contributions to our society.
What do you like to do outside of work?
If I can get a quiet moment to read a good book or walk our two dogs, I feel so fortunate. Most of the time out of work, I’m chasing two boys to do their homework or get them to sports or music practice.